It happens. I’ve been ordering from big operations like Zounds and
Sweetwater for years. But even coming from a shipper who knows what the score is can’t keep a carrier from getting creative.
Had a bass shipped to me with a Thursday ETA. Got an update late that day saying there was an issue and delivery would be delayed. Friday nada. Called them on Saturday. First call to them and they said it was returned to the shipper as undeliverable. I asked why.
First they said driver was unable to locate the address. I pointed out I got things from them all the time and my house was on a long established residential street which dated back to 1953. And the house number was plainly visible from the street per my town’s ordinance. So the person I was talking to asked if they could call back.
2pm and another person calls. Asks if my address is a business address in a multi tenant building. I tell them it’s just a single family house with a yard complete with grass lawn and a lamp post on a residential street. This person asks if they can call me back.
4:15pm another callback and another person. Asks where exactly in Stratford CT is my street. I tell her “nowhere.” You’re off the mark by about 15 miles because you’ve got the wrong town. Asks to call back.
4:45pm another call to confirm my address. My real address (in the correct town) matches what the shipping info they have says. Asks to call back.
4:50pm yet another call, again from a different person who tells me my item was returned to the shipper as undeliverable but couldn’t tell me why it was since their info matched my address. After 5 or so minutes of talking in circles it became obvious this person either didn’t have a clue about why this happened, or (more likely) did know but wasn’t about to tell me.
7:50pm my bass arrived on my front porch. No knock on the door. I had just looked out the front window and saw their truck in the middle of the street and their driver making a beeline back to it before taking off more quickly than they usually do.
Bass was in good shape and none the worse for the delay. The shipping label on the box had my correct address.
Next Monday around 9am I get a text informing me my package will be delivered by 8pm that day. Huh? But ok. Whatever.
Where I am, mail arrives between 3:00-3:30 and UPS and Fedex show up around 4:30-5:00. Mail truck swings by at 3:00 or thereabouts. No Fedex or UPS on my street today.
6pm receive text my package has been delivered.
Fine whatever.
Wednesday I get a call from somebody who identified herself as a manager for the carrier asking if I received my package. I said yes, and asked why she was calling. She told me it was because she showed I was filing a claim for a lost package. I told her I hadn’t filed a claim for anything and proceeded to tell her the whole story.
When I was done she heaved a long suffering sigh. She asked if I knew who I spoke to. I told her three different people, none of whom would give a name. She heaved another sigh. She then apologized for the mixup and we said good-bye.
Talk about drama. <eyeroll>
